Zermuetzelsee Neuruppin Zermuetzel

Germany Lake 1 - Excellent

Zermützelsee is a 123-hectare lake located approximately 10 km north of Neuruppin in the Wittstock-Ruppin Heathland within the Stechlin-Ruppiner Land Nature Park. The lake is part of the Ruppiner waterway and features an irregularly shaped basin with a maximum depth of 7.3 metres. The catchment area covers 515 km², of which 55% is forested and one-third is used for agriculture. The lake receives water from the Rhin river and several tributary streams, and is connected to smaller forest lakes. Three camping sites are located on its shores.

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Water

Natural freshwater lake covering 123.32 hectares. Maximum depth 7.3 metres, mean depth 4.3 metres. Water exchange time 0.1 years. The basin is unstratified in summer. Transparency ranges from 0.6 to 1.2 metres. Water temperature ranges from 12.9 to 24.6 °C with a mean of 20 °C. pH values range from 7.2 to 8.5 with a mean of 8. Freshwater with salinity less than 0.5‰.

Location

Approximately 10 km north of Neuruppin. The bathing spot is located at Zermützel on the southern eastern shore. The village of Stendenitz is situated on the southern western shore. Parking and facilities are available at the designated bathing area.

Facilities

Three camping sites are located on the lake shores. A forest museum is situated north of Stendenitz.

Season

Monitoring conducted fortnightly (every four weeks) according to Brandenburg bathing water regulations.

Water Quality

Water quality classification: Excellent (ausgezeichnet) for all evaluation periods from 2016-2019 through 2021-2024. Escherichia coli 95-percentile: 29–48 CFU/100 ml. Intestinal enterococci 95-percentile: 29–35 CFU/100 ml. Ecological status class: Poor (ÖZK 4 - unbefriedigend) as of 2024. The lake is naturally eutrophic and current nutrient levels exceed natural baseline conditions. Visibility is reduced due to elevated nutrient content.

Risks

Cyanobacterial blooms observed occasionally during bathing season. Low to moderate risk of future cyanobacterial mass development. High risk of future phytoplankton mass development. Macroalgae and aquatic plants present. Sensitive individuals should avoid bathing during algal bloom events.